1996/99
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Mayo let off the Laois
GAA
18 March 1998
Quarter final showdown with Derry as
Mayo 1-14------------------------------------------Laois 2-10
John Melvin reports from Crossmolina
I saw this film before somewhere. A team is six points up with fifteen minutes to go, coasting to what seems a comfortable win. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, appears an iceberg. Icebergs are not meant to appear when early Spring football is beginning to blossom into the promise of a warm Summer championship, but Mayo's league hopes came so close to being shipwrecked at Crossmolina on Sunday, where the home side just made it ashore on a late tide to secure a place in the National League play-offs.
A swollen St Tiernan's Park (estimates at around 7,000) certainly got their fair share of drama as Mayo supporters were put through the hoops of emotions as they watched their team in control for many periods, produce some excellent play in all sectors and some good scores in a vigorously contested game, but yet almost blow it in the end.
With eight minutes remaining Mayo were in a commanding four point lead, but five minutes from time Laois struck for a goal which breathed new life into a side which refused to lie down, although it could be argued they were helped up by Mayo..
Laois did have a chance to level, while Mayo too had their chances to put the points away, but it was David Heaney, who had a torrid time on ful toward Hugh Emerson , who made a vital interception to set up the move which saw Ciaran McDonald put David Brady through for the vital goal to seal the points at the end of normal time and a meeting with Derry in the quarter-final..
But the drama was only starting then, as another crossbar incident' unfolded, when a Laois defender brought down the crossbar after Brady's goal, and with referee Paddy Russel allowing a generous amount of overtime, Laois struck for a second goal before the final whistle came as a happy relief to the home team.
In the end, it was a win which puts May where they intended to be-into the National League play-offs- and still within sight of the league title, but it was a performance that will leave manager John Maughan with fears of a future famine given the feast that was available in this match. Yet credit bust be given to Laois for a courageous fight while Mayo's unbeaten league run will see this as another confidence boosting measure as they now get a shot at Derry, the tam that denied them access to the league title two years ago.
And Mayo certainly appeared to be gorging themselves in the second half when they starved Laois at midfield to go from level scores at the break 0-6 each- to 0-13 to 0-7 with fifteen minutes remaining. It ws Mayo's best football all season.
Ray Dempsey, who had struggled in that first half, worked much better as a target man in the second half, and was a major contributor to several scores as McManamon, McDonald with three on the trot, McManamon again, Sheridan and Horan with a fisted point, left Laois struggling for air.
It looked not just a comfortable lead, but a secure one, but two frees from Ian Fitzgerald breathed new life in the Laois men, and with nine minutes to go Derek Conroy had reduced the gap to just three as Mayo went back to their bad habits of bad passing and unforced errors.
It was a marvellous point from James Horan, Dempsey providing the vital flick into his path, which put Mayo back in control eight minutes from time but when substitute Mark Rooney scrambled in a goal five minutes from the end, Laois had found a way back into game that should have been shut out of from once Mayo had cut loose in that opening period of the second half.
Brady's Goal
Brady;'s goal finally resolved the impasse but this was a game which produced enough warning signs for Mayo to suggest the path ahead is a treacherous one unless they can find that killer instinct which has denied them success in the past.
Like the start of the second half, they opened in the first half in a flurry of activity, going three points clear from Horan, McDonald and Sheridan, all from play in a five minute spurt.. Laois opened their account in the 10th minute from an Ian Fitzgerald free and when Michael Lalor followed up inside a minute with a point from play, just the minimum separated the sides.
Maurice Sheridan with a free, and McDonald with a snap point when he picked up the breaking ball in front of the posts, put Mayo back in control, but John Murphy and Tony Maher had the gap back to the minimum eight minutes from the break before Noel Connelly came in on the end of a good move to restore Mayo's two point lead.
However, Fitzgerald had Laois back on level terms with point in the last three minutes to tie the match at 0-6 each at the break.
Mayo looked as if they were going to coast it when they pulled six points clear and had a great goal chance from Fergal Costello come off the crossbar, but there was a sting left in the Laois tail as they crept back into the game, thanks mainly to some fine work from their half back line, and they could well have snatched a draw in the end, but, in fairness it must be said Mayo, were by far the better team, even if at times they put themselves under a lot of pressure, but they were never headed in this clash and always looked like winners..
Peter Burke did show on occasions that he is not totally comfortable under the high ball.. David Heaney discovered what it is like to be playing on ful toward of real quality in Hughie Emerson, and while the Swinford lad had a tough time, he also recovered well in the end.
Fergal Costello was the back who really stood out and those who feel Pat Holmes is ready to be put for dry grass, will have to look at a very solid second half performance when he moved into the corner while James Nallen, Noel Connelly and Trevor Mortimer got in some good work, although they will need to tidy up a bit on some of their clearance.
Mayo won a lot of ball in midfield with Pat Fallon putting in a superb first half and a good second quarter while David Brady was always in the thick of the action and took his goal well.
Up front Ciaran McDonald was the class act, producing some great scores and James Horan also played well, scoring three fine points, one with a the fist. Ray Dempsey's experience proved crucial and Colm McManamon showing improved form while Maurice Sheridan and Liam McHale were involved in a number of good moves in an attack, which is at least cutting down on wastage, but is still lacking that decisive killer blow..
Mayo: Peter Burke, Kenneth Mortimer, D. Heaney, F. Costello, P. Holmes, J. Nallen, N. Connelly, P. Fallon, D. Brady (1-0); C. McManamon (0-2); L. McHale, J. Horan (0-3); K. McDonald (0-5); R. Dempsey, M. Sheridan (0-3). Subs: J. Casey for McHale.
Laois: F. Bryon, J. O'Reilly, E. Delaney, A. Phelan, D. Conroy, D. Rooney, D. Lalor, L. Keenan, G. Doyle (1-0); I. Fitzgerald (0-6); M. Lalor (0-1); J. Murphy (0-1); T. Maher, H. Emerson, M. Rooney (1-1). Subs: C. Parkinson for Keenan, D. Ryan for Delaney.
Ref: P. Russell (Tipperary).
Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - March 1998
